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"It was quite an event," said Mel Dorr of Spruce Creek Fly-In in Port Orange. Dorr's company loaned out an airplane for the special flight from Rhode Island to Volusia County.

The pelicans' plight began in the days after Sandy swept up the Atlantic Coast, first as a hurricane, then morphing into a monster hybrid storm. The storm apparently swept several pelicans far off course from the usual northern limits of their range, along the North Carolina coast.

One weak and ailing pelican was found in Narragansett, R. I., on Nov. 8, said Jennifer Brooks, clinic director with the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island. A couple of days later, a fishing boat returned to shore with another juvenile pelican that had landed on their vessel four days earlier about 120 miles offshore.

Brooks said the crew aboard the boat, which was catching fish for Sea World, probably saved the pelican's life by sharing part of their catch with the weakening bird.

A rehabilitator with the association, Judy McGuire, said they were touched when the second pelican was delivered to the clinic.

"The first pelican wrapped its wing right around the other one," she said. "It was like two people who hadn't seen each other in a while."

Brooks said both pelicans "were just kind of banged up."

"They had a lot of scuff marks," she said. "I think they got tossed around a lot."

Pelican sightings may not seem all that unusual to those used to seeing the gangly brown birds hanging out at fishing piers or flying low over the ocean, but they're very rare in Rhode Island.

The birds were only the 13th and 14th brown pelicans ever recorded in the state, said Michael Brothers, science center director. One of the pelicans has a silver band on its leg, indicating it was banded as a nestling. Staff at both rehabilitation clinics are waiting for information on where that banding occurred.

The pelicans were among untold numbers of birds affected by the storm and its winds and high tides.

"The storm has had tremendous effects all the way from Maine to Maryland," said Patrick Comins, a director of conservation for the National Audubon Society.

Some birds were blown off course, surprising bird watchers by showing up in unexpected locations. Others may have lost nesting areas or may find them drastically altered. Other birds were caught up in the wind and seas, with some eventually ending up at rehabilitation centers along the coast.

"We had some really remarkable occurrences," Comins said. For example, a sighting of an ocean-going bird called a herald petrel was reported in Pennsylvania.

"That's a darned good bird (to see) off the coast of North Carolina, never mind as far inland as Pennsylvania," Comins said.

Other reports were received of birds that may have sensed the storm was coming and taken flight to escape the worst of it.

Fortunately for the birds, Comins said, Sandy did not occur at a peak migration time.

Not all impacts were negative, Comins said. Certain species, such as the endangered piping plover and the least tern, need flat beaches with little vegetation for nesting. They rely on storms like Sandy to flatten the beaches and remove vegetation.

At first the Rhode Island clinic kept the rescued pelicans in its outdoor shelter, but when the weather turned cold they moved them into a tent indoors and began looking for a way to get the pelicans moved to a warmer climate.

Brooks said McGuire stepped in to choreograph the delivery. McGuire and her husband are friends with Dorr. He and his business partner, Bill O'Brien, also a Fly-In resident, agreed to loan their plane and arranged for a pilot to fly up to Rhode Island to pick up the birds and take them back to Volusia County. The men own a company that finances aircraft.

It wasn't the first time the pair have helped chauffeur ailing wildlife. Five years ago they carried five sea turtles from the New England Aquarium to an aquarium in Charleston, S.C., Dorr said.

Dorr said they were prepared to cover the whole cost, but were surprised to learn donors stepped forward to pay the pilot and fuel costs for the trip.

Pilot Howard Coombs, also of the Fly-In, flew up on Friday and flew the pelicans back on Saturday.

A small group from the center's Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary gathered to meet the plane at the Fly-in and collect the birds.

"It was really heartwarming, all the people who were willing to help get these birds and bring them back to Florida," Brothers said. "It was a wonderful effort by a lot of people."

Once at the center, the pelicans were checked for intestinal problems and received fluid therapy for about 24 hours, said the sanctuary's Rachelle LeBlanc.

Now they are eating on their own, she said, receiving a mix of small fish, including mackerel, finger mullet and thread herring. One is being treated with ointment for frostbite on its toes. Each pelican weighs about 7 pounds.

"They have been having a great time in the pool," LeBlanc said.

They'll be released once the center's medical staff determines they've recovered, Brothers said.

Meanwhile, the Association in Rhode Island has received another pelican and a fourth pelican may be rescued this week, Brooks said. She hopes those pelicans can also be delivered to Ponce Inlet.

<p>A trio of local men helped fly a pair of Superstorm Sandy refugees into town and now their passengers – a pair of juvenile brown pelicans – are recuperating at Volusia County's Marine Science Center. </p><p>"It was quite an event," said Mel Dorr of Spruce Creek Fly-In in Port Orange. Dorr's company loaned out an airplane for the special flight from Rhode Island to Volusia County. </p><p>The pelicans' plight began in the days after Sandy swept up the Atlantic Coast, first as a hurricane, then morphing into a monster hybrid storm. The storm apparently swept several pelicans far off course from the usual northern limits of their range, along the North Carolina coast. </p><p>One weak and ailing pelican was found in Narragansett, R. I., on Nov. 8, said Jennifer Brooks, clinic director with the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island. A couple of days later, a fishing boat returned to shore with another juvenile pelican that had landed on their vessel four days earlier about 120 miles offshore. </p><p>Brooks said the crew aboard the boat, which was catching fish for Sea World, probably saved the pelican's life by sharing part of their catch with the weakening bird. </p><p>A rehabilitator with the association, Judy McGuire, said they were touched when the second pelican was delivered to the clinic. </p><p>"The first pelican wrapped its wing right around the other one," she said. "It was like two people who hadn't seen each other in a while." </p><p>Brooks said both pelicans "were just kind of banged up." </p><p>"They had a lot of scuff marks," she said. "I think they got tossed around a lot." </p><p>Pelican sightings may not seem all that unusual to those used to seeing the gangly brown birds hanging out at fishing piers or flying low over the ocean, but they're very rare in Rhode Island. </p><p>The birds were only the 13th and 14th brown pelicans ever recorded in the state, said Michael Brothers, science center director. One of the pelicans has a silver band on its leg, indicating it was banded as a nestling. Staff at both rehabilitation clinics are waiting for information on where that banding occurred. </p><p>The pelicans were among untold numbers of birds affected by the storm and its winds and high tides. </p><p>"The storm has had tremendous effects all the way from Maine to Maryland," said Patrick Comins, a director of conservation for the National Audubon Society. </p><p>Some birds were blown off course, surprising bird watchers by showing up in unexpected locations. Others may have lost nesting areas or may find them drastically altered. Other birds were caught up in the wind and seas, with some eventually ending up at rehabilitation centers along the coast. </p><p>"We had some really remarkable occurrences," Comins said. For example, a sighting of an ocean-going bird called a herald petrel was reported in Pennsylvania. </p><p>"That's a darned good bird (to see) off the coast of North Carolina, never mind as far inland as Pennsylvania," Comins said. </p><p>Other reports were received of birds that may have sensed the storm was coming and taken flight to escape the worst of it. </p><p>Fortunately for the birds, Comins said, Sandy did not occur at a peak migration time. </p><p>Not all impacts were negative, Comins said. Certain species, such as the endangered piping plover and the least tern, need flat beaches with little vegetation for nesting. They rely on storms like Sandy to flatten the beaches and remove vegetation. </p><p>At first the Rhode Island clinic kept the rescued pelicans in its outdoor shelter, but when the weather turned cold they moved them into a tent indoors and began looking for a way to get the pelicans moved to a warmer climate. </p><p>Brooks said McGuire stepped in to choreograph the delivery. McGuire and her husband are friends with Dorr. He and his business partner, Bill O'Brien, also a Fly-In resident, agreed to loan their plane and arranged for a pilot to fly up to Rhode Island to pick up the birds and take them back to Volusia County. The men own a company that finances aircraft. </p><p>It wasn't the first time the pair have helped chauffeur ailing wildlife. Five years ago they carried five sea turtles from the New England Aquarium to an aquarium in Charleston, S.C., Dorr said. </p><p>Dorr said they were prepared to cover the whole cost, but were surprised to learn donors stepped forward to pay the pilot and fuel costs for the trip. </p><p>Pilot Howard Coombs, also of the Fly-In, flew up on Friday and flew the pelicans back on Saturday. </p><p> </p><p>A small group from the center's Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary gathered to meet the plane at the Fly-in and collect the birds. </p><p>"It was really heartwarming, all the people who were willing to help get these birds and bring them back to Florida," Brothers said. "It was a wonderful effort by a lot of people." </p><p>Once at the center, the pelicans were checked for intestinal problems and received fluid therapy for about 24 hours, said the sanctuary's Rachelle LeBlanc. </p><p>Now they are eating on their own, she said, receiving a mix of small fish, including mackerel, finger mullet and thread herring. One is being treated with ointment for frostbite on its toes. Each pelican weighs about 7 pounds. </p><p>"They have been having a great time in the pool," LeBlanc said. </p><p>They'll be released once the center's medical staff determines they've recovered, Brothers said. </p><p>Meanwhile, the Association in Rhode Island has received another pelican and a fourth pelican may be rescued this week, Brooks said. She hopes those pelicans can also be delivered to Ponce Inlet.</p>